CW’s Batwoman is a bad show on good day. When it occasionally brings up social justice talking points, it can only get worse. Unfortunately, this week is another time where things only get worse as Batwoman fights her biggest enemy: homophobia.
The November 17 episode “Tell Me the Truth” focuses on the conflict between Batwoman/Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) and her ex-girlfriend Sophie (Meagan Tandy). In a previous episode, Sophie discovered Kate’s secret identity and now warns that she must tell Kate’s father Jacob (Dougray Scott) the truth. To try and convince her otherwise, Kate meets up with Sophie at a fancy restaurant. When they start to get personal, the manager arrives to reprimand Kate for violating the dress code. Of course, it’s really just a poor setup for Kate to stand up to the homophobic strawman.
Manager: Pardon the interruption, ladies. Unfortunately, sneakers are not allowed in the dining area.
Kate: I'm surprised that you could see them considering they're hiding underneath our table.
Manager: Dress codes are dress codes.
Kate: Right. That guy right there is wearing sneakers.
Manager: Maybe you would enjoy instead our lounge outside.
Kate: Thank you, but we're really good here. Sophie, my love, what would you like to eat?
Sophie: Kate.
Manager: Signora... Let's avoid a scene.
Kate: Then admit that the only thing offensive about my shoes is me.
Sophie: Kate, chill.
Kate: Please tell me you get what's happening right now.
Manager: Miss...I need to ask you to leave.
Kate: Oh. Then I need to call my stepsister Mary Hamilton. Do you know her? Because she knows you and 3.5 million other people. Uh, yeah. One snap from her, and she will shut this place down faster than you can say, "Gay people make me feel uncomfortable!"
Manager: Enjoy your meal.
Kate: Yeah. Thanks, but we're not hungry anymore.
Batwoman is pretty dedicated to convincing us that the only reason a fancy restaurant would reject a woman wearing a leather jacket and sneakers is homophobia. In fact, Kate goes one step further to humiliate the manager by buying the building across from his restaurant and turning it into a gay bar. I guess pettiness is a heroic quality now.
Even without Kate’s overreacting, the scene is a horribly unrealistic mess. First of all, there are a number of states that provide public accommodation protection for LGBT people, so this isn’t as big an issue as Batwoman thinks it is. Second, I’d love for these writers to find me even one example of such obvious LGBT discrimination in recent years. It’s easier for me to find a case of Christian discrimination. Finally, I find it ironic that Batwoman fights against kicking gay people out of restaurants when the left seems to want it for Trump supporters.
Instead of seeing victims or heroes, all I see are vindictive, spiteful people looking to shove their agendas down our throats. Only the left would see Kate as a real hero.
